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ST. LOUIS -- Minutes after watching his team get shut out on three hits Tuesday night in a 3-0 loss to St. Louis, Cubs manager Lou Piniella was all dressed and ready to go. It may have been a coincidence, but the whole team looked like it was ready to get out of the park, making Joel Pineiro throw only 92 pitches in a complete game. "There were a lot of quick outs," Piniella said. "I don't think they had to make very many good plays. Made it look very easy." So was it Pineiro, or was it the Cubs? "Let me tell you this," Piniella said. "We haven't been killing the ball off too many people. OK? Now give this young man credit. He pitched a...

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ST. LOUIS -- Minutes after watching his team get shut out on three hits Tuesday night in a 3-0 loss to St. Louis, Cubs manager Lou Piniella was all dressed and ready to go.It may have been a coincidence, but the whole team looked like it was ready to...

HOUSTON -- Ted Lilly came out to pitch the second inning Tuesday night with the front of his jersey caked in dirt after he had made a headfirst slide into third base for his first career triple.
As fashion statements go, it was certainly one of the...

It doesn't matter when or where because the Cubs and Cardinals are something very special to their legions of fans stretched between Chicago and St. Louis.
"It's special because it's almost like a playoff atmosphere," said Aaron Miles, the Cub...

PHOENIX -- The day before the season began in Houston, coming off a red hot spring, Milton Bradley said he was ready to show Cubs fans what he was all about.
"Hopefully they can realize the kind of player I am, and realize I'm worth every penny...

DETROIT -- Some people count sheep when they have trouble getting to sleep.
But after watching the Cubs' sleepwalking offense the last two months, Jim Hendry and Lou Piniella are counting the days until Aramis Ramirez returns from his shoulder injury....

PITTSBURGH -- Aramis Ramirez has an opt-out clause in his contract after the 2010 season, giving him an opportunity to test free agency if his $14.6 million salary is below fair-market value.
But after learning how valuable he is to the Cubs during...

The countdown to the July 31 trade deadline is on, and the Cubs remain in a wait-and-see mode.
They are 1 1/2 games behind first-place St. Louis after Friday's 8-5 victory over Cincinnati.
The Cubs have won 8 of their last 11, a streak that roughly has...

CINCINNATI -- Whether the Cubs are true pennant contenders or an optical illusion may be a little clearer one week from now.
After the offense fell flat again Wednesday night in a 4-0 loss to the Reds, the Cubs will play the Rockies and the defending...